Rwandan Ambassador

Almost a month from now the president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, is coming to the States and will make a stop here at OC. I am invited to a lunch in his honor and will get to meet him as the student representative of OC.
About two weeks ago we got our first taste of this visit. The Ambassador of Rwanda to the US, Zac Nsenga, came through as a preperation for president Kagame's visit. He spoke at Quail Springs Church Of Christ Wednesday evening. As he spoke he showed pictures and statistics. He talked about what Rwanda was like before the genocide (both before and after colonization), then during the genocide and then right after the genocide and now. He explained how the country is enthousiastically building it self up again...the whole nation is doing what they can to reach their vision for 2020. They have a document which states what that goal is ("vision 2020") and working hard. You hear the people in Rwanda talk a lot about this vision. STudents learn about it in school and learn how they can help. Each disctrict has its own specified vision within the great vision for the whole country. This vision is real and the people are making it possible for their country to reach its goal.
The next morning those of us who went to Rwanda last summer and those of us going this coming summer were invited to breakfast with Mr. Nsenga. I believe this was much better than anything we're gonna get with the president, because this was such a select group that his speaking to us was very personal....he spoke directly to us. He wasn't just 'speaking to the masses'. AFter he spoke we asked questions. The question was raised "what is the most important and very first we we (or AMericans) can do for your country?". What he said has stuck by me. The greatest thing he wants people to do for the Rwandan people is be interested in their story and genuinely be their friends. I think its amazing, because that is exactly what I saw when we were there last year. I know someone could easily walk away from that experience saying 'they just want our money', because we had those times that the people asked us for money in exchange for their services like showing us a certain building we were looking for, or you could say 'they just want to use our friendship to get into America', because we had plenty of those requests. I prefer to remember the many times when people merely asked for knowledge and not physical help with the intention to use that knowledge to help their country with their own physical strength. ALong with asking for knowledge came true friendship, and along with those questions they asked to help build up their country came their questions about our knowledge of their people and country. They want us to know them, befriend them, and help them.....as their friends.
so I want to encourage you to learn about Rwanda. Maybe even do some research to see if there is a Rwandan refugee near you and make an effort to reach out to them. Above all, pray for them, because they are our friends and many of them are our family in Christ.

If you are interested in the vision 2020 document, let me know.
Check the link to see pictures from the Quail Springs website.